Dimension scores are derived from public data and fields; weighted into the composite. Reference only.
PIEL Survey is a mobile survey app provided by Blue Jay Ventures Pty Ltd, positioned for Experience Sampling Method (ESM) and Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) research. It is designed for researchers to collect “in-the-moment” data from participants in their everyday environments, rather than relying on traditional one-off retrospective questionnaires. The app supports iOS and Android; the documentation states that it currently works from iOS 13 and Android 8 onward, and that the minimum iOS version will be raised to iOS 18 in the second half of 2026.
Its core capabilities focus on mobile prompts and offline questionnaire collection. Researchers can use a Control File to configure questions, scheduled surveys, random prompts within time windows, event-triggered surveys, multiple concurrent surveys, randomized question order, and project start/end surveys. Notifications are sent locally by the device, so participants can still receive prompts and complete questionnaires even when offline—an important requirement for EMA/ESM scenarios. It also supports branching logic, multilingual questions and response text, and PIEL Data can be used to merge data files from multiple participants.
PIEL Survey is explicitly described as a free app, with no disclosed paid plans, seat-based pricing, or enterprise edition. Its terms also note that the company does not guarantee the app will remain free or continue to be provided in the future. It is not a typical cloud-based SaaS product: there are no third-party servers or databases, and data is mainly stored on participants’ devices before being sent to researchers by participants via email or file sharing.
Its privacy-oriented design is a major strength: data is not automatically uploaded, and it does not collect location, device information, contacts, or similar data. It only collects the content defined in the control file and timestamps. Data stored on the device is encrypted by the operating system, and email transmission can rely on SSL/TLS. The site states that it aligns with GDPR principles and provides guidance for HIPAA assessment. However, much of the compliance responsibility remains with the researchers, especially around email receipt, storage, ethics approval, and subsequent access control.
Its advantages are that it is free, lightweight, usable offline, and well suited to EMA/ESM projects at universities and research institutions. Its drawbacks are the lack of a web admin dashboard, team permissions, centralized database, API, and automation integrations. The data collection process depends on participants actively sending files, so large-scale management is less convenient than with platforms such as Qualtrics or REDCap. It is best suited to research teams that prioritize privacy, have limited budgets, and can accept a file-based workflow.
The documentation does not provide information about access from mainland China, payment, or localized services, so its accessibility status is unknown. If you need domestic survey distribution, WeChat ecosystem support, RMB payments, or local customer service, you may want to compare it with Wenjuanxing or Tencent Questionnaire. If you need rigorous research data management, REDCap or Qualtrics may be worth evaluating.
⚠ This review is compiled from public sources and does not constitute a purchase recommendation. Verify all facts on the vendor's official site. Verify on pielsurvey.org official site.
pielsurvey.org is an Unknown Forms & Survey provider. TG4G tracks its product information, an overall rating of 6.0/10, and a China-accessibility score of Workable. Click "Visit Official Site" to reach pielsurvey.org directly.